Topical Applicator with Exchangeable Sponge Head

ABSTRACT

A topical applicator that includes a foldable elongated handle with an exchangeable application pad with two applicator surfaces. The elongated handle includes a grip arm, a curved ring arm, and an adjustable locking hinge. The grip arm and ring arm are configured so that the grip arm and ring arm when pivoted rearward into a folded nesting position. Attached to the distal end of the ring arm is a ring with center opening. The ring and the center opening are configured to at least partially encircle and receive a complimentary shaped foam application pad with two opposite applicator surfaces. In one embodiment, the application pad is slightly larger than the ring and includes groove formed on along the midline axis of the application pad&#39;s perimeter surface. The center portion of the application pad is partially compressed thereby forming an hour glass configuration that holds the application pad in place.

This utility patent application is based on and claims the filing dateof U.S. provisional patent application 61/536139, filed on Sep. 19,2011.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the following patent document containsoriginal material which is subject to copyright protection. Thecopyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital downloadreproduction of all or part of the patent document, but otherwisereserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to applicators used to manually apply to theskin topical compositions, such as lotions, creams, paste, gels.

2. Description of the Related Art

Individuals afflicted with skin conditions or injuries sometimes requiretopical application of one or two different compositions to the skin.The skin areas to be treated are sometimes located in hard-to-reachareas or the individual may have a physical condition that limits theirmovement and reach.

An application with two applicator surface is desireable because in someinstances, two topical compositions must be applied sequentially to thesame immediately after each other. In other instances, it is alsodesirable to exfoliate the skin with an exfoliating surface andimmediately apply a cream or lotion to the exfoliated skin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

At the heart of the invention is the discovery that many individualsdesire to apply one or two different topical compositions to areas ofthe body that are beyond their reach and that an applicator with anelongated handle with an easily exchangeable application pad with twoapplicator surfaces would be desirable.

Disclosed herein is a topical applicator that includes a foldable,angularly adjustable elongated handle with a low profile circular orU-shaped ring formed or attached on one end in which an exchangeablefoam application pad with two opposite applicator surfaces is attached.The elongated handle includes a rigid grip arm with an adjustablelocking hinge formed on its distal end. Connected to the adjustablelocking hinge is a rigid ring arm. Mounted on the distal end of the ringarm is a longitudinally aligned ring. The grip and ring arms areconfigured so that when the ring arm is pivoted rearward, they partiallynest together for compact storage in a medicine cabinet or a bathroomdrawer.

The ring may be integrally or attached to the distal end of the ringarm. The ring may be an enclosed circle, an enclosed square, an enclosedtriangular or an enclosed oval with a center opening. The front sectionof the ring opposite the ring arm may be removed thereby enabling thesponge to slide longitudinally onto the ring. When the ring is a fullyenclosing structure, the application pad must be perpendicularly andcoaxially aligned over the ring in order to be inserted into the centeropening.

The ring and the sponge are configured so that the sponge must beslightly compressed in order to fit into the ring's center opening. Inone embodiment, the ring includes a smooth interior surface that snapfits around the application pad's mid-line axis located on the sidewall. In another embodiment, a plurality of inward projecting teeth orbumps are forced on the ring that press against the application pad'ssidewall to hold the application pad in place.

The application pad is made of open cell foam with two oppositeapplicator surfaces. The applicator surfaces may have the same textureor and different textures for applying a cream or lotion or exfoliatingthe skin. The elasticity of the foam is sufficient so that the ring maypress inward on the application pad's side walls thereby compressing theapplication pad into an hour glass configuration with two opposite,substantially parallel applicator surfaces.

The adjustable locking hinge disposed between the grip arm and the ringarm enables the user to rotate the grip arm and ring arm in a 210degrees around the hinge's center axis. The hinge includes at pluralityof locking lugs that enable the grip arm and ring arm to be temporarilylocked into a plurality of set positions that enables the applicationpad's applicator surfaces to be pressed against the skin with sufficientforce.

During installation, the application pad is inserted into the ring'scenter opening so that the ring engages the application pad. Because thering at least partially encircles the application pad, the applicationpad is securely held when the handle is moved back and forth and side toside over the skin. During use, one or two topical compositions areapplied to the one or both applicator surfaces. The grip arm and thering arm are then pivoted around the hinge to the desired settemporarily locked positions. The elongated handle is then moved backand forth and side to side over the skin. If desired, the elongatedhandle may be rotated in the hand and the grip arm and ring arm may berepositioned so that the opposite applicator surface may be used againstthe skin.

The topical applicator may be sold as a kit that includes the elongatedhandle, a plurality of exchangeable application pads that aredistributed in a single outer container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the topical applicator with a foamapplication pad attached to the ring arm and shown in an extendedposition.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the topical applicator shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the topical applicator showing thering arm with a application pad attached to the ring being moved betweenfive positions.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the topicalapplicator in an extended configuration showing the bottom surface ofthe elongated handle with a smooth surface style ring and with theapplication pad removed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the adjustable locking hinge.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the topicalapplicator with the elongated handle with two decorative cover plates, aring attached to the ring arm that includes inward extending teeth soldformed on its inside surface and two exchangeable application pads, andan outer bag container.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view similar to the view shown in FIG. 3showing the elongated handle with a application pad attached to the ringbeing moved between extended and folded positions.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the topical applicator shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective of the topical applicator shown in FIG. 7-8with the application pad and the two cover plates removed.

FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view showing the grip arm and ring armseparated and selectively connected together or dissembled.

FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of the distal end of the grip armand the proximal end of the ring arm with the lock elements formedthereon.

FIG. 12 is a top perspective of the assembled locking hinge.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the ring with the front section removedand showing a application pad being longitudinally inserted into thering.

FIG. 14 is a side elevation of the second embodiment of the applicationpad showing to applicator surfaces with a layer of cream or lotionapplied to each applicator surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring to the accompanying FIGS. 1-14, there is shown a topicalapplicator 10 that includes a foldable elongated handle 12 with anexchangeable dual applicator surface application pad 50 that fits into aflat ring 30 mounted or formed on the distal end of the elongated handle12. The elongated handle 12 includes a curved grip arm 15 and acomplimentary shaped ring arm 25. Formed between the distal end 17 ofthe grip arm 15 and the proximal end 26 of the ring arm 25 is a multipleposition, adjustable locking hinge 40. The grip arm 15 and ring arm 25are configured so that the curved ring arm 25 when pivoted rearward overthe grip arm 15 is aligned in a folded stacked compact configuration asshown in FIGS. 3 and 7.

As shown in FIG. 6, the grip arm 15 and the ring arm 25 may include adecorative cover plate 80 and 82, respectively that snap fit thereover.

Formed or attached to the distal end 28 of the ring arm 25 is alongitudinally aligned ring 30. In the embodiment show in the Figs, thering 30 is an enclosed circle (see FIGS. 4, 6, 9, and 10) or it may be asplit ring (see FIG. 13). It should be understood however, that the ring30 may be an enclosed or split square, an enclosed or split triangularor an enclosed or split oval. All rings 30 have an center opening 37designed to receive a complimentary shaped foam application pad 50. Whenthe ring 30 is a fully enclosed structure, the application pad 50 mustbe perpendicularly and coaxially aligned over the ring 30 in order to beinserted into the center opening. When the ring 30 is a split structure,the application pad 50 may be longitudinally aligned and movedlongitudinally into the center opening 37.

The ring 30 and application pad 50 are complimentary in shape. The ring30 is slightly smaller than the application pad 50 so that theapplication pad 50 must be slightly compressed in order to fit tightlyfit into the ring's center opening 37. In one embodiment shown in FIG.4, the ring 30 includes a smooth interior surface 32 that snap fitsaround the application pad's mid-line axis located on the side wall 52.In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 6 9 and 10, the a plurality ofinward projecting teeth or bumps 38 are formed or attached to the insidesurface of the ring 30 that press against the application pad's sidewall52 to hold the application pad 50 in place on the ring 30.

The adjustable locking hinge 40 is formed by complimentary parts formedon the distal and proximal ends 17, 26 on the grip and ring arms 15, 25,respectively. As shown in FIGS. 10-12, the grip arm 15 includes twolongitudinally aligned outer ears 18. Formed on each ear 18 is anopening 19. Formed on the outside surface of the grip arm 15 is acentrally aligned, extending lug 46. The ring arm 25 includes a roundedhub 27 formed on the ring arm's proximal end 26. The hub 27 is designedto fit into the space formed in between the two outer ears 18. The hub27 includes two pegs 42 that snap fit into the two holes 19 formed onthe two ears 18 to couple and pivotally connect the grip arm 15 and thering arm 25 together. Formed on the outer surface of the hub 27 arerecessed teeth 44 configured to engage the outer surface of the lug 46when the arms 15 and 25 are connected together. The recessed teeth 44are aligned on the hub 27 so that the ring aim 25 may rotate in anapprox. 210 arc over the distal end of the grip arm 15 and locked in atleast five set positions as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7.

The application pad 50 is preferable made of open cell foam, similar toa sponge with two opposite applicator surfaces 55, 60. It should beunderstood however, that the application pad may be a cotton or nylonpad. The applicator surface 55 and 60 maybe flat, slightly convex orslightly concave. The applicator surfaces 55, 60 may have the sametexture or and different textures for applying a cream or lotion orexfoliating the skin. The elasticity of the pad 50 must be sufficient sothat the ring 30 may press inward on the application pad's side wall 52.When the applicator pad 50 is an elastic foam, the ring 30 compressesthe application pad 50 into an hour glass configuration as shown in FIG.1 with two opposite, substantially parallel applicator surfaces 55, 60.

During installation, the application pad 50 is inserted into the ring'scenter opening 37 so that the ring 30 engages the side wall 32 ofapplication pad 50. Because the ring 30 at least partially encircles theapplication pad 50, the application pad 50 is securely held when theelongated handle 12 is moved back and forth and side to side over theskin. During use, one or two topical compositions 100 or 102 are appliedto the one or both applicator surfaces 55, 60. The grip arm 12 and thering arm 25 are then pivoted around the locking hinge 40 to the desiredset temporarily locked positions. Using one hand on the hand grip areaon the elongated handle 12, the applicator 10 is then moved back andforth and side to side over the skin. If desired, the elongated handle12 may be rotated in the hand and the grip arm 15 and ring arm 25 may berepositioned so that the opposite applicator surface may be used againstthe skin.

As shown in FIG. 6, topical applicator 10 may be distributed and sold asa kit as that includes the elongated handle 12, a plurality ofexchangeable application pads 50, 50′ that are distributed in a singleouter container 200. One or more application pad 50, 50′ may then besold and distributed separately.

In compliance with the statute, the invention described herein has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features.It should be understood however, that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown, since the means and construction shown, iscomprised only of the preferred embodiments for putting the inventioninto effect. The invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms ormodifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amendedclaims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine ofequivalents.

I claim:
 1. A topical applicator for applying topical compositions todifficult to reach skin areas, comprising: a. a foldable elongatedhandle includes a curved grip arm, a curved ring arm connected togetherby an adjustable locking hinge, said grip arm and said ring arm areconfigured so that said ring arm when pivoted rearward nests in astacked, compact configuration over said grip arm, said locking hingeallows said grip arm and said ring arm to be selectively moved from astacked closed position to an open extended position and then locked ina temporarily set position, said ring arm includes a longitudinallyaligned ring with a center opening; and, b. an exchangeable applicationpad with two opposite flat applicator surfaces, said application padbeing compatible in shape and size so that said applicator pad may beinserted into said center opening on said ring and temporarily to applya cream or lotion dispensed on one or both said applicator surface. 2.The topical applicator as recited in claim 1, wherein said applicationpad is made of foam.
 3. The topical applicator as recited in claim 1,wherein said application pad is made of cotton.
 4. The topicalapplicator as recited in claim 1, wherein said ring is an enclosedcircle.
 5. The topical applicator as recited in claim 1, wherein saidring is a split structure.
 6. The topical applicator as recited in claim1, wherein said applicator is distributed as a kit that also includes atleast two applicator pads and a outer container.